Transportation News & Views

Why You Ride (or Don't) Thursday roundup

Last August we embarked on a little experiment – we decided to open up the blog to our readers and give them the chance to tell us why they ride transit. We didn’t stop there though, we also decided to ask those who don’t ride to tell us why.

The response was overwhelming, we received 325 completed surveys (227 “Why You Ride”, 98 “Why You Don’t Ride”), many of them going into detail about what keeps them on or off transit and what they’d like to see Metro do to improve transit in L.A. County.

We started publishing the results immediately, allowing other readers (including Metro staff) to see how their fellow Angelenos felt about L.A.’s growing transit system. We posted 48 surveys to the blog last year and they often sparked good discussion on the comments board, but some felt the daily postings were becoming a little overwhelming (including Streetsblog L.A., who still awarded us with 2010 Streetsie Award for best news site despite the frequent postings).

This doesn’t mean we’re done publishing the surveys – but to turn down the daily noise we’ll be posting a selection of them in a single post every Thursday from now on.

Also, we’ve closed the survey so that we can collect the data and analyze the results. We’ve actually got some bigger plans once we’ve compiled all the data, so stay tuned.

Other Transportation:

Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?

Bicycle.

Are you car-free? If so, why? If not, why not?

No because I can’t be in L.A. – the public transit takes too long, there’s not enough bike racks (often get bumped to next bus because 2 bikes already on racks), buses don’t run often enough so one late or missed bus makes me late, bus stops are not nice (mine smells like urine), buses are often very crowded, bus routes not efficient (i.e. no direct Santa Monica – Union Station express route with no stops in between).

Your Perspective:

If you could make one change to improve your transit experience, what would it be?

#1: More bike racks

More frequent service, cash on TAP cards, knowing when bus will arrive, more express routes with no stops in between for long rides (on express freeway lanes) such as downtown Santa Monica – Union Station, better coordination with municipal lines, and a complete line up and down Route 1 from Santa Monica through to Torrance.

Given limited funds, how would you address L.A.’s transportation issues?

More buses, more bus lanes, more bike lanes. Rail is not as useful as buses, doesn’t go many places, transfers very out-of-the-way and slow given infrequent service.

Do you think L.A. transit is better or worse since you started riding? What’s changed?

Reduce stress, save money, help environment, so I can have dinner with my wife and ride home in the same car as her.

Other Transportation:

Do you use any other forms of alternative transportation?

Bicycle.

Are you car-free? If so, why? If not, why not?

Partially car free, we’re a one car family

Your Perspective:

If you could make one change to improve your transit experience, what would it be?

More frequent service.

Given limited funds, how would you address L.A.’s transportation issues?

30/10 and more out of the box thinking like that.

Do you think L.A. transit is better or worse since you started riding? What’s changed?

It’s gotten better. There are more people using it, more people bicycling, new buses on the 218, MTA is making small (signage, etc.) and large improvements (Orange Line, more rail, more efficient bus service on main lines).

Don’t know who MTA listens to
1) more buses
2) more rail
or
3) more buses and rails

To make LA more public transit friendly, it should be #3. MTA only listens to #2 group. Does MTA have enough money to build ALL rails across LA COUNTY. IF NOT BUILD RAILS ONLY IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO IMPROVE LOCAL CONNECTIONS AND YOU DON’T CUT BUSES (AND CALL THAT IMPROVEMENT)